An ultrasound (US) imaging system has included an ultrasound probe with a transducer, a console with an internal or external display, and a keyboard. The transducer transmits an ultrasound signal into a field of view and receives echoes produced in response to the signal interacting with structure therein. The echoes are processed by the console, which generates images indicative of the structure that are visually presented in the display region.
An example of a suitable display region includes a screen (e.g., LCD, CRT, etc.) with a cover lens (e.g. made of glass). The cover lens provides a surface that is relatively easy to clean. Shattering of the cover lens can be mitigated through a bonding material applied between the cover lens and the screen. However, the cover lens adds at least two surface transitions, an air to cover lens transition and a cover lens to air transition. Unfortunately, both the air to cover lens transition and the cover lens to air transition produce reflections, which may deteriorate the optical perception of the visually presented image. Furthermore, the distance between the touch screen display and the cover lens may result in a parallax that decreases the accuracy of activation of the individual buttons on the touch screen display.
An example of a suitable keyboard includes a keyboard with a coherent, flat surface, without any holes, for example, a “touch screen” display with a cover lens. Unfortunately, the distance between the cover lens and the screen may deteriorate the optical perception of the visually presented image and may result in a parallax that decreases the accuracy of activation of the individual buttons on the “touch screen” display. Likewise, the cover lens provides a surface that is relatively easy to clean. Unfortunately, with such a keyboard, it may not be easy for a clinician to navigate an image while observing the image without looking away from the image in the display region and looking at the keyboard to locate and activate touch screen controls.